MSX skimmer club

[Justdrew]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15148808#post15148808 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
IMO the biggest contributing factor to the bioload is not the fish, rather the feeding methods.

With tangs you are probably feeding lots of flake(spirulina algae ect) Therefor there will always be DOC's in the water to skimm out.
The 200 is the better match but purchasing the 250 is insurance for future upgrading. for eg you might want to add a refugium and remote deep sand bed some day.
You don't want to be in a postion where you have to completly fork out another 400 dollars and more for a new skimmer when you can add 90 bucks to the bill a little easier now

Thanks Capn,

I think I am going to pull the trigger on the 250. I had a 20 minute conversation with Rob at MSX today. Great guy to talk to and very knowledgeable about the business as a whole. Tough choice between the 200 and 250. The 200 is better match, but the 250 gives that extra room for an upgrade. But of course no one ever does that. Right


Later
Drew

 

[platax88]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15167487#post15167487 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Justdrew
Thanks Capn,

I think I am going to pull the trigger on the 250. I had a 20 minute conversation with Rob at MSX today. Great guy to talk to and very knowledgeable about the business as a whole. Tough choice between the 200 and 250. The 200 is better match, but the 250 gives that extra room for an upgrade. But of course no one ever does that. Right


Later
Drew

Good choice Drew ... i just got my 250 yesterday. Here it is at 12 hrs. No overflowing foam yet, but i think it is breaking in nicely. For, now i am just running the stock pinwheel. Last night i noticed them rattling. This morning its a significant hum, but i hope the quiet down more as they break in.

How do you guys think it's looking @ 12 hrs?

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15167775#post15167775 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by platax88
Good choice Drew ... i just got my 250 yesterday. Here it is at 12 hrs. No overflowing foam yet, but i think it is breaking in nicely. For, now i am just running the stock pinwheel. Last night i noticed them rattling. This morning its a significant hum, but i hope the quiet down more as they break in.

How do you guys think it's looking @ 12 hrs?

that's looking great for 12 hours. eventually you should adjust down the air column so it is just at the base of the skimmate cup but this is great for now to get it skimming

 

[mikenam]

So is this summary correct? the skimmer performs really well, price is decent, stock pinwheel does not have start up issues, meshwheel performs best but has start up issues, purple atb purple pinwheel works better than stock but also has start up issues, and 160 is hard to dial in?

 

[DarG]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15167957#post15167957 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mikenam
So is this summary correct? the skimmer performs really well, price is decent, stock pinwheel does not have start up issues, meshwheel performs best but has start up issues, purple atb purple pinwheel works better than stock but also has start up issues, and 160 is hard to dial in?

No startup issues with the larger purple wheel in the sicces I used them in. The Mesh doesnt necessarily cause start up issues either. It all depends on the mesh job. But in general, you can do a conservative mesh and gain some air draw without startup issues. More potential start issues with more aggressive meshing.
Generally speaking, The closer the mesh is trimmed to the edge of the disc, the less start up is a problem ... there are some other variables like layers of mesh and how even/balanced it is as well as whether you flatten it or not and trimming the stray fibers.

Never used the 160 but seems a bit more tweaky according to what I have read.

I personally think that the 200 begs for a mesh mod. Worked great for me with a conservative mesh pulling about 32 scfh and no startup issues at all. Other use the stock pinwheel and report good performance. Im sure that the PPW would be an upgrade over stock.

Im talking about the MSX/SWC versions of the skimmers with the machined sicce pump.

 

[Deegore]

Hi everyone, I would buy a SWC Xtreme 250(original plan is coneA1 but my sump has no room for it).

Do you guys think it's easy to change the pumps to Askoll1500?

 

[mikenam]

Thanks I think I found my next skimmer. I had the old octo nw150 and told my self not to purchase a skimmer with startup issues. Everytime I had to restart the nw150 I had to blow start the thing.

 

[Hop]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15168192#post15168192 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Deegore
Hi everyone, I would buy a SWC Xtreme 250(original plan is coneA1 but my sump has no room for it).

Do you guys think it's easy to change the pumps to Askoll1500?

Sure. MS can even ship it to you with one already set up Or tap the askoll to fit the union of the stock sicce. keep in mind that running the askoll through the stock sicce fixture will only yeild about 60 scfm, where tapping the skimmer out and running 1" pipe will get you the higher 80+ scfm.

 

[mikenam]

Thanks I think I found my next skimmer. I had the old octo nw150 and told my self not to purchase a skimmer with startup issues. Everytime I had to restart the nw150 I had to blow start the thing.

 

[Deegore]

Thanks for your replied, Hop. So, do I need to drill and change the 1" pipe myself?
or ask swc help out the change?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15168288#post15168288 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Hop
Sure. MS can even ship it to you with one already set up Or tap the askoll to fit the union of the stock sicce. keep in mind that running the askoll through the stock sicce fixture will only yeild about 60 scfm, where tapping the skimmer out and running 1" pipe will get you the higher 80+ scfm.

 

[Hop]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15168701#post15168701 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Deegore
Thanks for your replied, Hop. So, do I need to drill and change the 1" pipe myself?
or ask swc help out the change?

Give the MS guys a call. I bet they will do it all for you. Great customer service!

 

[platax88]

Hey guys ... i couldn't leave it alone, i had to try the mesh, but ...

I was not very impressed with the stock mesh wheel. This is what i saw when i took it apart:

How could it ever be balanced in this way? So i took the dremel to it to smooth it out:

I then replaced the mesh but used fishing line instead of zip ties to tie it tightly. After that i took a lighter and heated the mesh, pressing down on a book to flatten and bind it better. I repeated this a few times and then trimmed it a bit.

Seems like it did the job! I am getting smalller bubbles and i turned the pumps on/off a few times with no restart issues. Also, very quiet. I dont have an air meter to test, but it "looks" like it made an improvement.

Has anyone tried a pw/mesh hybrid? How about taking a layer or two of mesh and staking it on the pinwheel ... maybe attaching it with fishing line?

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15169197#post15169197 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Hop
Give the MS guys a call. I bet they will do it all for you. Great customer service!

Hop deegore is from Canada--he is better to deal with SWC in Winnipeg then MS in the States. This will save him duty and shipping and time to receive the product as it doesn't have to go through Cdn customs.

 

[Hop]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15169407#post15169407 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
Hop deegore is from Canada--he is better to deal with SWC in Winnipeg then MS in the States. This will save him duty and shipping and time to receive the product as it doesn't have to go through Cdn customs.

Ahhh. I have no clue if SWC will tap the skimmer for you

I know they will ship to the US though:lol: But that isn't going to help a bit in this conversation!

 

[drummereef]

platax88, just the sight of that knife in the background you used to cut off those tabs gives me the heebie-jeebies. Then I read you used a dremel. :lol: Glad it worked out and you still have all your fingers.

 

[platax88]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15169898#post15169898 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drummereef
platax88, just the sight of that knife in the background you used to cut off those tabs gives me the heebie-jeebies. Then I read you used a dremel. :lol: Glad it worked out and you still have all your fingers.

ha ha ... used the knife to remove the zip ties. I DID have a close call with that though

 

[drummereef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15169908#post15169908 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by platax88
ha ha ... used the knife to remove the zip ties. I DID have a close call with that though

Oh yeah, I've sliced my thumb before with a utility knife before - new blade too. Not fun!

 

[Hop]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15169908#post15169908 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by platax88
ha ha ... used the knife to remove the zip ties. I DID have a close call with that though

 

[holdyourlight]

question for you guys, i had to redo my baffles in my sump and instead of sitting in 8" of water my msx160 now sits in almost 10..well it wont start up now...
i took the sicce out and put it in a tub of water to see if it was still working and yes it does.. but when i place the whole skimmer in the sump and plug it in...nothing...any suggestions?
thanks

 

[Gdubb]

Quick question my 200 will be here tomorrow, does it need to be ran in a 50/50 mix with vinegar and RO?

If so how long?